A Flower Child & a Marauder
by refallen
Summary: Complete. .Lily is a beautiful witch in the 1970's. Her 6th year has just ended, and she's looking forward to her fun, peaceful summer in her muggle home town. James Potter and a certain magic camp CHANGE this.
1. Default Chapter

Note: I don't own Harry Potter

Author's Note: I'm writing a fic, and this time, its not a…satire…like my last. I'm writing this on NO sleep. Seriously…I don't remember effing sleep…at all? It's the holiday season and I'm running on cookies for energy…no sleep, though….And this may suck, but I'm going to try my very best. Thanks!

**Chapter 1 – Meet Lily, Flower-Child & Goddess**

Lily Evans walked down the streets of the quiet suburban town of Elm Park, London in a relaxed, slow fashion. The 16 year old girl, although she seemed ordinary, was more far different than most of the citizens. She was a witch.

She had been living in this small, muggle town all her life with her mother and father, and her summer vacation had just begun a week ago. Muggles were non-magic people; they were absolutely unaware of its existence. The date was July 1st, and she was completely content with her life.

Lily had just completed her 6th year of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry. It was a magic school deep in the unknown woodlands of England. A large and magnificent school, Lily had made it her home when she was just 11 years old.

She had received her letter of acceptance by, of all things, Owl Post. This was the way mail was sent in the wizarding world: owls carried letters to you. Actually, Lily's mother had received the letter when a large, gray owl had swooped into her kitchen one summer evening. It was then that her mother and father had realized that the magical roots of their great ancestors had been passed on to their youngest daughter, Lillian Audria Evans. They gladly allowed Lily to attend the school, proudly supporting her. Their older daughter, Petunia, wasn't as willing to comprehend or accept Lily's magic. Mr. And Mrs. Evans, however, didn't see anything but sibling rivalry in the way that the two sisters argued. They usually ignored that.

Lily had always been bright. In fact, she had been the top in her class in her primary education in Elm Park and had already become a prefect by her 6th Class. She excelled in arithmetic, French, history, and literature. She studied a lot, but her memory and ability to retain information had always been meticulous. When she entered Hogwarts, she had promised her parents that she would continue her "muggle" education during the summers, when she was at home. She was 16 now, and she had just completed her secondary school education. Since she had a special private tutor, she had graduated earlier than most British teenagers who graduated at 17.

What was more, Lily could drive now too. Of course, this wasn't nearly as thrilling as the privilege of apparating when a witch or wizard became 17, but Lily was just as happy. Not only did she have smarts, she also had common sense. She knew how to appreciate things in life the way muggles did. Here she was in Elm Park, a muggle town that was nearly an hour away from London's thriving center, Picadilly Circus or even Buckingham Palace. She couldn't use magic outside of Hogwarts yet, so she had little to do in the summer sometimes. A life at Hogwarts had made it difficult to closely bond with the muggle girls she had been so close to at a younger age. Lily was well-aware that she could take the tube Author's note: Tube London Underground…hehe, I love England. My grandparents live their and I'd love to live there myself! to anyplace in the large city, but now that she had gotten her license, life seemed just a bit easier. Her father, Donald, had promised to let her use his car whenever she liked to.

Lily was humming a song to herself as she walked down the narrow, suburban street to her small home in 151 Cowdray Way. The streets were narrow, the sidewalks, almost non-existant, and the small cars were parked in every driveway. Each home had a little lawn, and each house had three stories, as a traditional English house did. The song was, "Bye Bye Baby (Baby Goodbye)" by the Bay City Rollers. How Lily loved the Bay City Rollers! Author's Note: Do you sniff JK?

_You're the one girl in town I'd marry  
Girl I'd marry you now if I were free  
I wish it could be  
I could love you but why begin it  
'Cause there ain't any future in it  
(She's got me but I'm not free so)  
Bye bye baby  
Baby goodbye  
Bye bye baby  
Don't make me cry_

Lily was smiling as her hips swayed back and forth naturally with each step. She was thinking about life, the Rollers, and she seemed so content. A girl of vivid, dark red hair and eyes like sparkling emeralds, Lily Evans was indeed a beauty. Her hair was wavy and it was completely original in a day and age where woman were revamping their hair to accustom it to the era of the 1970's. So many girls had long, sleek, straight hair that was parted down the middle and went down to their waists. Lily's, on the other hand, had a natural part to the side. It was a wavy mass of hair that went down to hair waist. Her long beautiful locks were what separated her from most girls.

However, Lily defined the 1970's era very well, despite her hair. On this warm summer evening, she was wearing a navy blue halter-top with pink "psychedelic" flowers printed on them. She was wearing a pair of worn in denim bell-bottoms with her black, bobo's. Her name attributed her well, for Lily Evans was the quintessence of a flower child.

And yet, she still maintained that innocence in her appearance. Of course, she had a flattering hourglass body, and her searing green, almond-shapes her eyes could win many admirers, but overall, she was a very modest girl. She may have bared her shoulders a bit, but she never bared her integrity. Lily Evans had an air everywhere she walked. She was, indeed, a girl like no other. Author's note: Hah, the more I write this, the more Lily becomes my effin' hero.

Maybe this was because her parents weren't the richest of people. Yet still, Mr. And Mrs. Evans had raised two fine, honorable daughters. They weren't trashy, and they had morals. Lily was a very honorable young woman, and she had a lot of passion. She had a passion for art and magic, of course. She had a passion for rock and roll. And she couldn't help sing along, as she almost reached home. She has gone out to the local grocery store to buy some eggs and milk for her mother.

She sang softly, "Bye-bye baby, bye bye." She was in such a good mood. She no no homework, and she didn't have to worry about her N.E.W.T.S for a long time. She was just going to have a lot of fun this summer. She turned a corner and suddenly she heard a loud, flirtatious whistle.

"My, my Evans. You look even more beautiful when you're not wearing your school uniform!" a deep, male voice called out from behind her.

Lily, froze in her tracks. Her good feeling was gone. Could it be? Why? How? She turned around, her instinct already telling her who had just hit on her. Slowly her eyes turned around. Standing in front of the house was none other than James Potter, the one person in all of bloody England that could ruin Lily's summer!


	2. Meet James

Note: Guess what? No, you're wrong biznotch. I don't own arry-Hay otter-Pay.

Author's Note: Ahahahaha. I'm having mucho fun…cause I'm insane-oooo.

**Chapter 2 – Meet James – Manhood Got the Best of this Marauder**

Lily gaped at the boy…well, young man, standing less than 10 feet from her. He was wearing a tight black T-shirt and flared pants. He had hazel eyes and unruly jet-black hair. His hair was amazingly good looking though, especially since no matter what, it was a little long and it always looked like it was in need for a hair cut. What was he doing in Elm Park? What was he doing there? Suddenly, the anger rose up in her, and she burst out, "What do you think you're doing here, Potter?"

James was smiling widely. His small, yet deep and powerful hazel eyes were twinkling in delight, and the smirk on his face showed the pleasure of not only giving Lily this lovely little surprise, but also from the simple fact that she was standing there. His wide grin was worthy of a Polaroid, for at the moment, he was completely enraptured. She was standing there. She was standing there! Lily, beautiful Lily, was standing there. She was perfect in those jeans. The halter-top did such justice to her small, petite figure, not mention he saw a great deal of skin that never did quite show up in those Gryffindor robes.

How he loved everything about this girl. Before it had just been lust. Back in fourth year, all Evans was to him was a pretty girl. A girl who was completely unattainable. She wouldn't give him or his best mate Sirius a second glance, while other girls flocked at their feet. After all, James Potter and Sirius Black were the most popular boys in school. Not only was James extremely bright, but he was also had a bad habit of dating a different girl every day of the week. Commitment was a joke to him; he was just a typical teenage boy. It seemed, sometimes, that he was out to get only one thing.

Lily was that one girl who James couldn't get. At first, it was a game to try and get her to go out with him. His egotistic mind just kept pushing him to try and win her over, but Lily never gave in. She refused to be one of James Potter's adoring fans. Actually, she couldn't stand him. James also had a nasty little habit of being a bully and somewhat excessive in spells and hexes outside of class. One wouldn't want to get on his bad side, with the exception of Lily. He had been a cocky jerk in Hogwarts, if her opinion counted for anything.

Eventually, maybe even inevitably, James had slowly fallen in love with her though. This happens when you get completely obsessed with a girl. It also can be attributed to (and James was completely ashamed to admit this) a certain bet that he and Sirius had made about trying to win Lily over. Of course, James has lost the bet by the end of fourth year, but he had gained so much more. He realized he adored everything about her. Lily Evans was the most beautiful girl in the world to him, and she was the only girl. She was so kind to others and she was so giving; James had learned to respect her. She was modest, a quality James himself had always failed to possess. She was kind and caring. James even loved her short, fiery temper…he assumed it was due to her hair…that lovely hair. James was smitten.

Yet even when he changed his feelings about Lily, he hadn't changed his ways. Out of frustration and desperation he had acted the same, if not worse, with her. He remained arrogant and still acted like the ladies' man – on the outside. On the inside, he was continually wishing for her acceptance. He really wanted to change, but every time he tried, he'd always act worse. Manhood had got the best of him, but he just couldn't show these feelings the right way.

James was reaching his breaking point. Pretty soon, he was going to have two options: He was going to have to swallow his pride and confess his deep and undying love for Lily Evans or he'd be sent to St. Mungo's from going insane. Not to mention, the possibility of being rejected by Lily if she ever found out his true intentions (which did not entail her as an object) was too disastrous for James to even think about.

Inside, James was shaking as Lily yelled at him. There was definitely fire in her eyes. "Now, now Evans, you don't have to yell. I'm standing right here."

Lily responded, through gritted teeth, "What. Are. You. Doing. Here?" She hadn't moved an inch.

"Well, if you're dying to know, Evans," he replied casually, "And I know you are." Inside, his heart was screaming, STOP! But James continued to talk in this way.

Lily interrupted him. "Save it, Potter. Don't start with me. What are you doing in Elm Park?"

James sighed dramatically. "I'm staying here with Sirius and his uncle. His uncle's a muggle, and Sirius needed, shall we say, a vacation from his home. I decided to accompany him." He grinned widely and moved to the metal fence, which she was standing next to. He dropped his long arms casually on to the rail and looked into her eyes. "Who knew I'd be so lucky to be staying so close to you? Maybe you'll even go out with me soon." He winked flirtatiously.

James thought to himself: Why am I such a prat? But still, he couldn't help but do this. It was like a reflex. If Lily were near, he'd have to be an arse.

Lily could feel her temperature rising. It was one thing for this guy to be completely annoying with the whole "asking her out every day" thing back at Hogwarts. It was absolutely infuriating that he acted like he was the greatest thing in the male race. In fact, it made her blood pressure rise when he acted like he was innocent and that she was the one who idolized him. The nerve! But this? How dare he? How dare James Potter come and ruin her summer vacation. This was her time to be happy and at peace. It was her time to be away from him!

**Whack**! Even before she thought about it, a hard smack hard come across James' left cheek. He pulled back in shock. Lily was shaking, and there were tears in her eyes. "Just my luck for O'Ryan Black to be related to, of all people, your best friend. Just my luck!" She turned around and ran down the street to her own home and slammed the door shut.

James stood there in shock, his hand over his face. If he weren't so angry with himself, maybe he'd have found this to be completely wrong and unjustified on Lily's part. Why couldn't he just be nice? Why couldn't he get her to like him in the right way? Maybe if he wasn't such a fool…truth be told, James Potter had tears in his own eyes.


	3. Tears & AnguishOver A Silly Boy?

rtNote: The only Harry Potter I own is the miniature wand I once received in a Burger King Big Kid's meal…just kidding!

A/N: I am soo bored, I'm posting my arse off...I want to live in England sooo bad right now.

**Chapter 3 – Tears & Anguish...Over a Silly Boy?**

Lily was completely sobbing by the time she closed her door. Her mother scurried out of the kitchen so see what all the noise was about. There she saw her daughter standing in the foyer in tears. Mrs. Evans, or Annette, went to Lily and quickly took the bag of groceries from her hand.

"Lily, darling, whats the matter? What happened" Annette asked, holding Lily's shoulders.

Lily looked down, sniffing, with tears streaming down her face. She couldn't look in her own mother's eyes. "Oh nothing, Mum. I'm fine. My summer's ruined that's all." Her mother embraced her lovingly. "Thank you, Mom," she said with an assuring smile as they let go. "I'm ok, really. I think it's just, you know, that time of the month. You know how I am. Every little thing bothers me."

Annette bit her lip. "Are you sure? You can tell me anything, you know?"

Lily laughed at her own stupidity. In her mind, she was telling herself that she was simply stupid for letting James Potter get to her so much. She'd get over it! She replied, "Mum, I'm serious. I'm perfectly ok. Thanks, I love you. I think I'm going to go to my room now."

"Ok, dear." Annette went back to the kitchen, as Lily climbed two sets of stairs. Her bedroom was at the top of the house, and it was her favorite place to be alone. Walking into her room, she took off her top and jeans, and replaced them with a white t-shirt and a pair of extremely soft and comfortable red flannel pajamas. She was so stressed and tense, and she needed to calm herself down. Reading always helped, so she went to her bed and fluffed up the pillows. She reached for a book she was presently reading and got into the sheets. Soon, she was immersed in the world of Anne Rice's vampires. The book was Interview with the Vampire. The more Lily read, the more time flied by. Soon, Her mother had called her from downstairs for dinner, but Lily said she wasn't hungry. She began to get very tired. Soon, she was fast asleep, the book lying beside her.

Her dreams were strange. She was warm, completely warm. But it wasn't just a physical feeling; her heart fluttered, and she could herself laughing and smiling and giggling. Someone kissed her lips softly. He was very handsome. He had this wide, angular jaw that accentuated his sweet smile. He had these amazing hazel eyes; they changed color with every emotion. He had this messy black hair that fell everywhere. She held that hair in her hands, and she twisted it, and his kisses grew deeper and more passionate. She kissed back happily and dreamily. He was whispering, "I love you. I'm nothing without you. You're beautiful. You're my everything, Lily Evans." She felt so happy and comfortable. All they were doing was kissing, but she felt like this feeling would last forever. It would be there….

"Ahh!" she woke with a start.

'How could I have been thinking like that about him? Wait! Why was I dreaming about him! Like that? Do I like him? Do I even know him?' All All these thoughts crosses Lily's mind. Her heart was racing. Sunlight was streaming in through her lace curtains and she looked over at her clock. It read 7:13. She groaned.

"Why do I do this to myself!" she exclaimed out loud. She got out of bed, and walked to the bathroom. As she brushed her teeth, she was deep in thought. She wondered if she liked him like that. This thought made her heart race and she panicked. 'No! I don't know him and he is an obsessive freak! He's such a stalker, and ugh! I. Just. Can't. Stand. Him!" She kept on telling herself these words.

And then she'd doubt herself, and she'd end up confused. 'Ok, so maybe he is cute, but seriously, he's an **arrogant, bullying toe-rag**" A/N: quoted from Book 5 In the end of her self-inflicted torture session with her own mind, Lily decided that she did not like James Potter. Aunt Flo just had a way of getting her emotions and feelings all out of whack.

By the time Lily was showered and dressed, she was completely tired and irritated with the thought of James Potter. She went back to her room and made her bed. It was a little stuffy so she decided to open her window. As she pulled back the curtains and unclasped the window lock, she saw James and Sirius down the street. O'Ryan Black was getting into his car, as the two marauders were carry large surf boards into his car. Sirius was talking and laughing loud, and James was responding. Lily couldn't hear what they were saying, but she could see them perfectly.

She continued to stare at James. He was wearing long, swishy navy shorts and another black t-shirt. It was a little bit baggier. However, his shorts fit perfectly around his waist, accentuating his tight abs and v-shaped torso. He seemed completely laid back with just flip-flops on.

Sirius, on the other hand, was dressed a little more eccentrically. Of course, he had a bright, hot pink, shirt on – it was indeed, tight, displaying his wide and built chest. His shorts were sky blue, with bright yellow rubber ducks around it. He looked insane, but it suited him well.

Lily continued to stare at James. 'Why are you so good looking? Why do you have to be such a jerk? Why do you have to ruin my life?" she asked him, in her mind. She was transfixed.

Suddenly, James looked up, and he stared directly at her. It seemed like an eternity that they stared at each other, frozen. She quickly became flustered though, and moved away from the window, completely embarrassed that he had seen her!

She sighed. She screamed out loud, "James Potter, you make my life a living hell, even when you don't speak to me!"


	4. Surf's Up

Note: Nope, I don't own it. Harry Potter isn't mine.

Author's Note: Long chappie. I love the Marauders – except Wortmail of course. Happy Holidays everyone!

**Chapter 4 – Surf's Up**

James saw her through the window. His stomach churned with a wave of guilt. He knew he was the cause of this problem. But why was she looking at him?

James was so surprised to see Lily in the window, staring at, of all people, him. She even looked beautiful when she was sad. He wanted to make her smile, though. He wanted to make it all better for her. 'Who the hell am I kidding?' James thought furiously. 'I'm the reason she feels this terrible.' He thought back to the hard smack he had received from her the afternoon before. It had really hurt his feelings, but it also made him realize what a jerk he was. He had to use every bit of strength not to cry the day before, but, yes, there had definitely been tears in her eyes. James felt worse than ever inside, but he had to keep a smile on for Sirius.

"Ya ready, Prongs?" Sirius asked as he did a little skip on his uncle's drive way. "A fun-filled day of surfing on the British coastline. Hurry up, Uncle O'Ryan, we had better get moving!" Sirius was so energetic that James could have compared him to a puppy, panting up and down with excitement.

"Don't wet yourself, Padfoot. Of course I'm excited," James exclaimed, grinning widely to hide his heartache. He moved closer to Sirius and whispered, "But he doesn't know we've got magical boards, right?"

Sirius grinned mischievously. "Technically, no! But shh, what he doesn't know won't hurt him. He'll just think we're very skilled when we don't fall in the water at all!" The two laughed.

O'Ryan stepped out of the car. He was a middle-aged man, but he was in good shape. Except for the grayish hair on his head, one could mistake him for Sirius' father. They looked very similar. "The car is on and the boards are in the back. Are you boys ready?"

"Yeah!" they shouted.

The three men seated themselves into the car, and went off. James couldn't help but stare longingly at Lily's window as they drove away. Somehow, he'd have to make things change. Somehow, he'd show her how he really felt about her and he'd win her over.

For now, he was with one of his best mates. He turned to Sirius and asked, "Say Padfoot, is Moony going to meet us at the beach, then?"

Sirius frowned. "I'm not sure. I sent him an owl last night, but he never replied."

"Oh." James replied, a little disappointed. Both were looking forward to seeing their other best mate, Remus Lupin, that day. There was a long silence in the car, as O'Ryan concentrated on the road and the highway.

Suddenly, a large "thump!" was heard as a furry little brown ball hit the dashboard. All three men jumped and O'Ryan screamed, "What the hell?" as he braked suddenly and swerved to the left side of the road. Sirius and James quickly stepped out of the car to look at the ball.

Sirius carefully picked up the ball. It was a small owl. Its fur was a deep brown and its eyes were crystal blue. Sirius examined the bird carefully. "Thank God my uncle wasn't going that fast. This owl is fine, but we'll have to take care of it."

James and O'Ryan sighed with relief. The optimistic little owl hooted with relief and joy that he journey was over. He especially enjoyed the attention he was receiving at the moment. Sirius went on, "Let's see he or she has a letter." He reached for the owl's leg, and there was indeed a rolled piece of parchment tied up to its leg. Sirius removed it, and opened the letter. It read:

Padfoot, I'm sorry I couldn't send you this earlier,

but I hope you do receive it in time. Of course, I'd

love to go surfing with you and Prongs. I'll meet you at

Gloucestor Beach at around noon. I've just contacted

Wormtail, and he's going to join us, too. See you soon!

-Moony

P.S. I hope Eber doesn't give you too much trouble. She's

actually a very nice owl. Send Prongs my hello.

Sirius grinned. "Well, today should prove to be interesting!"

James replied, "Definitely! Let's go, everything's ok."

O'Ryan grunted with irritation. He murmured something like, "Bloody owls. What in the bloody hell do they think they're doing, in the middle of bloody Elm Park?"

As the two boys got into the car, Sirius explained to his uncle, "Sorry, Uncle. It's just that…you know how the magical world is. In fact, you're one of the few who really does understand and accept it. This little owl, Eber, was just trying to send this letter to us."

"Fine," O'Ryan replied. "Just try to keep him calm, you hear."

Sirius smiled. "Yes uncle, of course." James reached over and petted Eber, who hooted happily and clicked her tongue. Despite all the commotion she had just made, this owl seemed to be the kind that was always cheerful.

* * *

O'Ryan, James, and Sirius reached Gloucester Beach at around noon. While Sirius's uncle went off to entertain himself, the two boys quickly spotted Remus Lupin from the crowd of surfers. Remus was wearing a pair of brown shorts and a similar T-shirt. His sandy blonde hair was waving all about the place. His mouth was small, but he was smiling, and he looked quite adorable. Remus was the most modest and sensible out of the four marauders. Of course, he was always game to a few laughs or to adventurous things, like surfing. However, he was always the honorable gentlemen, and he was usually quite reserved. James, Sirius, and the fourth marauder, Peter (a.k.a Wormtail) were closest to him.

"Oy, Moony! How are you," Sirius ran up to Remus, and slapped his back.

Remus replied, "Hi, Padfoot. That's a lovely shirt you're wearing. Pink really is your color."

Sirius grinned widely and winked. "I thought so too, thank you."

James joined the conversation. "Hope you're doing well, Moony. Did you bring a magical board?"

Remus smiled devilishly. "Thanks, I'm doing great. Full moon isn't for 3 weeks. And yes, I have the surfboard. You two are the worst influences in the world!"

The three boys laughed. Sirius exclaimed, "Oh come off it, Moony. It was your idea!"

James said, "It was definitely was. Where's Wormtail?"

"He's hiding in the bathroom. I really don't think he is fond of surfing. Maybe we should convince him not to, if you know what I'm saying. He didn't even bring a board like ours. It's for the best." Moony said.

James frowned. "I see what you're saying, but he's far too stubborn."

They agreed. Soon, a pudgy, watery-eyed boy came out from the bathrooms and greeted them. It was Peter.

"He-he-hello, boys. How's your vacation been so far? Are-are-are-you ready?" He asked, with eyes forcefully stubborn. The others could tell he was scared, but they knew better than to advise him not to surf.

So they roared "Yes!" and were off. They took of their shirts and went off with their boards into the waves. Although James was much better at quidditch, Sirius mastered the sport of surfing. It was a muggle sport, yes, but the boys were still enjoying it. Even Remus was having fun, although he was having a little more difficultly than James or Sirius.

Peter, on the other hand, was flailing and flopping throughout the water. Every two seconds, he'd fall in; he looked completely miserable. Remus had even suggested to Peter to take a rest, but Wormtail insisted that he wanted to continue. He said that he was having a lot of fun.

A few hours later, Peter was nowhere to be found, and the other three were floating in the water, with their hands on their boards.

Sirius exclaimed, "Well this has been quite thrilling. Of course, its nothing to a broomstick, a golden snitch, and a few bludgers. But I still like this sort of muggle activity."

James smiled. He said, "Your mother and father would be so proud." Remus chuckled.

Sirius scowled. "Yeah – I'll be sure to send them a postcard."

Remus looked concerned. "By the way, how are things are home now Padfoot?"

Sirius sighed. He explained gloomily, "I never want to go back again. I just can't stand them anymore. My brother Regulus is a complete bully, and my parents…well, they were never proud of me, to say the least."

Remus and James both looked sympathetic. They knew that Sirius's family was deeply immersed in the black arts and that they absolutely despised muggles. Sirius's family disliked and rejected him, because he was good and he didn't have any biases, especially against muggles.

O'Ryan was Sirius' only muggle uncle; he was a distant relative of Sirius, to say the least.O'Ryan's family was connected to the Blacks because his great gandfather was born out of wedlock with a Black ancestor; he had kept the Black name, though. O'Ryan was also rejected by the rest of the Black family, not only because he was a muggle, but because he was completely aware of the magical community and because he was actually nice. He believed and supported good magic.When he found out about Sirius's predicament and about the hell Sirius went through at home, he instantly agreed for his nephew to stay with him for the summer.

James said, "I'm really sorry Padfoot. You know, you can come stay with me whenever you want. You can live there, for all I care!"

Sirius smile morosely, with his dark eyes glistening in sadness. "Thanks."

Remus joined in, "That's right! I mean, you'd have to wear less pastel colored clothing, of course!"

Sirius laughed. "You two are the best mates a guy can ever have!"

They laughed and splashed around for a bit. James suddenly had the urge to tell his friends about Lily. He described everything that had happened the day before. Finishing the story, he said, "I think I really…you know…love her." He looked up them, unsure and nervous. He had never really told anyone how he felt about Lily. It had been his secret. Sirius and Remus just laughed in response. Actually, they howled with laughter. James was shocked and confused. "What are you two laughing about? Here, I'm telling you about my dilemma and my broken heart, and you are having a good time. Does this amuse you?"

Remus calmed down. "No, Prongs, that's not what we meant at all. It's just that we've known for such a long time. You never had to hide this from us!"

James was relieved, yet still surprised. "Oh. Ok."

Sirius laughed. "It was so obvious, James! A blind, three-headed monkey could have seen it!"

James blushed furiously. "That obvious, eh?" Suddenly, his thoughts were interrupted by a loud, chilling scream in the water. He looked all around to find its source. "What was that?" he asked the other two.

"Dunno…" Sirius murmured, also searching.

From the corner of his, James saw it. Peter was drowning! "It's Peter over there. Look!" He pointed and then quickly began to swim over to Peter. Finally, he reached his friend and pulled him up over water. He swam back to the shore with Remus and Sirius behind them. Peter lay on sand, panting. He was alive and conscious, at least.

James asked, "You scared us to death, Wormtail! Are you ok?"

Wormtail gasped, lying on the ground, shaking, "You saved my life, James. Thank you. I owe you so much."

Needless to say, the surfing trip was over.


	5. Time for Shopping

Note: I do not own Harry Potter but I do own this fan fiction. That is why I'm posting on You'd think the publishers would realize this…

A/N: I need to watch It's a Wonderful Life…so this may be a bit short. I love Winter Break! Gah, I am so bored…I'm drinking Pepsi? I hate soda…ick, writer's block…I hate this, but I SHALL overcome it

**Chapter 5 – Shopping!**

Lily didn't want to dwell over James any longer, and it wasn't in her personality to worry about people like him for more than a day, so she automatically she devoted herself to some summertime fun, forgetting about him. She spent the next few weeks just relaxing. She finished Interview With The Vampire. She spent some time with her mother. The two both loved flowers, so they tending to Annette's beautiful garden in the back yard. There were yellow, white, and red roses planted there, along with daffodils, chrysanthemums, and of course, lilies, planted there.

Lily also spent a great deal of time, driving around London. It was exciting to have this kind of independence to her! She went shopping, which was one of her favorite hobbies. First she went to shop for clothes. She found a pair of perfectly fitting bell-bottoms, and she also bought a dress. It was a deep green color, with peasant top sleeves and a small v-neck. It had a funky, colorful belt at the upper waist, and it fell just above her knees. It was perfect for her, and it was on sale! She also wanted to buy a few albums. She went to a small record store, and she ended up by two albums by the Beatles and the latest one by, of course, the Bay City Rollers. In all, she had made very good deals, without spending a great deal of money.

One afternoon, she visited _Pinkie's Closet_, a small shop in Elm Park. It had the most amazing assortment of objects, both new and antique. You could find anything from crystal crescent moons to an 18th century ouiji board there. There was also some very unique furniture in there. As she walked in, a suspicious woman stood behind the counter, simply staring at Lily. She had thick ragged hair and eyes that were covered in too much smoky black eye shadow. She had large eyes, like an owl, and she gave Lily the penetrating stare from the moment she had stepped in. She said nothing, so Lily uncomfortable walked to the other parts of the shop, trying to avoid the woman's gaze.

She looked around and saw a large black and gold statue of, Anubis, an ancient Egyptian God. It was very fascinating, and it was as smooth as marble. Lily loved it, although she had no use for it. The further she went into the shop, the more trinkets she found. She found a beautiful painting of a mermaid with deep purple hair. It was entitled, "Maid of the Meridian". Transposed into the painting was a watermark map of the world with all the longitude and latitude lines etched in silver. The map was not seen right away; Lily had to look closely to see. It was also useless to Lily, but it was beautiful, especially since the features of the mermaid were in the same silver.

In the back of the shop Lily found a table and bureau set with a brush and mirror set. It was Victorian, and it was simply magnificent. Carvings of flowers and beautiful emblems covered the table of dark cherry wood. A small lamp, ceramic and, was covered by a tan lampshade. The mirror and brush were made of silver and there were also covered in carvings. Lily loved it all so much. She would have given anything for the beautiful set. In fact, she would have redone her entire room for it. That is, she would have until she found that the price was about ₤1000. That was a tad bit over her financial limits.

When Lily was finished looking throughout most of the store, she went to the counter. The woman was still staring at her. Lily gave her an unsure, nervous look and shuddered. That woman was relentless! At the counter was a large glass display for jewelry.

Lily skimmed through the jewelry until she came across the most beautiful necklace that she had seen in her entire life. On a thin, gold chain, there hung a pendant made of jade. (A/N: Jade a semi-precious stone that is solid green, not crystal-like. Its shades can vary, but you're picturing it in the bright-emeral-green sense, right?) It was shaped in a heart with a golden frame. The most intriguing part of the pendant was that it had a bright, clear lightning bolt engraved into the center of the heart.

Lily squealed in awe and delight. She nervously looked at the lady behind the counter, who had yet to stop staring. "Is it possible, by any chance, that I could look at that one necklace, please?" she asked sweetly, pointing to the green pedant.

The woman, barely moved her mouth, but she was clearly audible. In a loud, hoarse voice, she said, "Of course dear!" She retrieved a key from within her work apron and opened the glass display. She took the necklace on and handed it to Lily.

Seeing it up close, Lily was just amazed at how beautiful the necklace was. She asked the woman, "May I?", implying that she wished to try the necklace on.

The woman smiled, her crooked teeth showing. "Of course dear," she barked.

Lily took off her brown jacket, under which she had a black tank top on. She walked a few steps to the mirror on the side of the counter and put the necklace on. Her long, scarlet hair was down, and it fell over her shoulders, and the necklace hung just above her chest. It looked radiant on her; the jade matched her eyes perfectly. In fact, it would match so well with the dress she had bought! She whispered, "Simply beautiful." Hopeful that the necklace wasn't too pricey, she asked "How much does it cost?"

"₤40," the woman replied. Lily's heart fell. She couldn't afford that. It was far too pricey, especially since she had bought the albums and clothing.

"Oh," Lily said sadly. Just then the door chimed and swung open. Lily turned around and recognized the person who walked in instantly. It was her friend; she knew him from Hogwarts. "Hello Remus!" she called out.

The boy with sandy blonde hair, yet again falling into his brown eyes, turned around. He instantly matched the voice with Lily. He smiled and walked up to her. "Lily! How are you?" he asked.

Lily smiled back. "I'm fine! How's your summer been so far?" She hadn't talk to any of her mates from Hogwarts for a long time, so it was nice to see someone her age that she could actually talk to without the desire to punch them in the face. She rambled on, "You look excellent. The last few days of school, you seemed a little peaky. Were you ill? What are you doing here in Elm Park? Oh, right. You must be staying with Tweedle Dumb and Tweedle Dumber, no?" (A/N: I heard this somewhere. I give credit to the genius who thought of it, so don't yell at me.)

Remus chuckled. He had been bombarded by questions before, but not by Lily Evans. She was usually quieter and calmer. It was nice to see her like this. He replied, "I'm fine Lily, thank you. My summer's been going well. And yes, I am staying with Sirius and James, if that was what you were asking. I just came over with them a few weeks ago after a surfing trip."

Lily said incredulously, "I don't understand how you could be there friends, really. How did James even stay afloat in the water with that big head of his?"

Remus laughed, even though he was a little offended that Lily could be so cruel to one of his best mates. "Lily, he's not that bad. Neither of the two are. You just have to get to know them a little bit." Lily's expression of disgust had only transformed into disinterest at his efforts to convince her, so Remus decided to change the subject. "That really is a magnificent necklace. It looks beautiful on you. Did you buy it from here?"

Lily blushed. The thing about Remus Lupin was that he could be sincere and kind to a girl and nothing would be implied. Of course he had his own romances and he had his own set of relationships girlfriends, but it was always a platonic relationship with Lily and him. So, Lily was flattered. She touched the pendant and said, "Oh. Thank you Remus! I'm glad you approve. In fact, I simply adore it. But my wallet doesn't like it as much, if you know what I'm saying." She laughed, making it a joke, although she was truly disappointed that she couldn't have it. "But yes, I did find it here. What are you looking for, in a place like this?"

Remus explained, "My mum's birthday is coming up and Sirius's uncle told me to come here. He said he'd lend me some money, if you know what I mean, (A/N: Muggle money) and I could find something that she'd really like in this place."

Lily raised her eyebrows in comprehension. "Oh, that's so nice of you Remus!"

"Thanks," he replied, slightly blushing.

"Well, why don't I help you look around?" she asked.

"Ahem." The woman behind the counter interrupted Lily. She had been staring at the two all this time! She looked at the necklace that was still around Lily's neck.

Lily realized that she had forgotten to return the necklace and quickly said, "Oh! I'm sorry." She took it off and handed it to the woman. Just then, she checked her watched and cried, "Oh no! It's 5:45! I was supposed to be home for dinner fifteen minutes ago!" She gathered her things and put on her jacket. "I'm so sorry Remus. Maybe tomorrow we'll come back here."

Remus replied quickly, "No, it's all right, really. Do you need a lift? Sirius and James could give you one if you're in a hurry."

"No thanks. Apart from the fact that it would be quite uncomfortable in the car, I have a car. Goodbye Remus. I hope to see you later!" Lily smiled.

Remus waved. "Of course. Goodbye Lily."

Lily yelled "Bye!" as she quickly left _Pinkie's_.

* * *

A/N: In Chapter 4, I change one little thing. O'Ryan is, in fact, Sirius' relative by blood. I just wanted to clarify because he is a character that I've had difficulty in explaining. My mistake – I'm truly sorry. Please forgive me!

A/N # 2: Oh - btw. I know you're wondering when I'm actually going to get to James and Lily interaction again - trust me, it's coming up soon! I just can't get right into it - It's not my style. I look at this story as a member of the audience, and sofar, its been Flower Children, Surfing, and a Necklace...but I will do my best to tie it all up.

A/N # 3: Omg, people are reviewing my story. I honestly didn't expect anyone to like it, so THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH. I love ya'll.


	6. No Thanks, Thanks

Note: I don't Harry Potter

A/N: It's 1 AM. No effing sleep, I tell you.

**Chapter 6 – No Thank You, Thanks**

James and Sirius were standing on the curb outside of _Pinkie's Closet_. They were just talking a few minutes before they joined Remus inside to hunt for presents.

"It's a shame Wormtail couldn't stay too," Sirius said thoughtfully, as he leaned against his uncle's small red car. He was looking all around, as was James. They weren't used to the non-magical world, and everything was so different and fascinating. At this moment, Sirius was staring directly at an old woman who walked into a phone booth. "Fascinating things, these 'telephones'."

James nodded, as he began looking at the woman too. "Yes, they are." The woman was completely unaware, however, that two teenage wizards were staring at her intently as she made a phone call.

Sirius returned to the subject of Wormtail and asked, "Where did he say he had to go to?"

"He said he was visiting his grandmother with his family in France for the rest of the summer," James answered.

"Lucky him!" exclaimed Sirius. "Although, I wouldn't want to see France with my _own_ grandmother…that would be bloody terrible!" James laughed in response.

Suddenly the door chimed rang and out walked Lily Evans. James' mouth dropped; he didn't exactly expect a Remus Lupin to go in the shop and a Lily Evans to come out. 'Be quiet! DON'T do anything stupid' he commanded himself. As usual, he took note of how she was looking that day. On this day, she was wearing khaki flares, a black tank top underneath a brown jacket. Her long hair was down, looking attractive as usual.

She was quite flushed, and she looked worried as she left the door. She turned to look for her car, a mid-sized white one, and she was instead face to face with James Potter and Sirius Black. She took one look at him, and huffed in irritation. James was standing directly in front of her.

"Excuse me, Potter. I have to get going," she snapped.

James was particularly concentrating on trying not to be arrogant so he registered her words a bit too late, as she shoved past him. "He-he-hello," he called out weakly, as she walked past, ignoring him.

Sirius called out loudly, "Oy! Miss Lily Evans, my mate just greeted you." He was standing by James now. "You don't have to completely ignore him!" He gave a mischevious grin, as he knew Lily would probably get even angrier now. Lily had a short fuse, to say the least, as James and Sirius had found out.

Lily was at the car, and she was looking for her key when one of the many shopping bags in her hands snapped and the contents spilled out onto the pavement floor. She groaned, as now she had to deal with the marauders a bit longer.

James saw the spill and ran up to gather the items. He saw that they were muggle musical devices. He remembered that they were called "records". "Well, um…Here you go, then" he said sheepishly as the petite young woman glared at him, although she was at least a 8 inches shorter than him.

"You know, I really don't remember asking for your help, Potter," she said icily, as she snatched the records. By this time she had opened her car and all her bags were inside.

Sirius called out, "You could be a bit nicer to him, you know, Evans? He did just help you. I don't remember hearing that one had to always get permission to helped another."

Lily blushed crimson red at this comment. James just stood there, in front of Evans hoping that she wouldn't slap him again. He was, for the first in his life, trying to avoid her eyes; he was staring at his shoes.

Luckily, Lily hadn't noticed him for the moment. She was infuriated with Sirius. She retaliated, "You know, it's funny, Black. I had no idea you could drive. I must congratulate you, when did you get your license?" She said this very loudly. She knew he had no license. Sirius had lived in the magical world since he had been born. He was a pure-blood.

Sirius scowled. "That's none of your business Evans! Why don't you just say thank you to James, and then go along your merry way!" he yelled back.

Lily looked at James, and angrily yelled, "I didn't bloody ask you to help me, and your prat of a friend should mind his own business!" She stomped off to the seat of her car.

Now James was mad. "Hey, you leave Sirius out of…" he yelled to her, but she had already driven away. He sighed and looked at Sirius.

Sirius was livid. "She doesn't deserve you James."

"No. It's not that. I just have been such a jerk to her that she must really hate me. And you too, for the matter. But she had no right to say anything to you! She needs to calm down and watch her temper, that's all."

"Whatever," Sirius muttered. "You were just trying to help. She didn't have to blow up at us like that! Let's just go inside."

James nodded, in agreement. He looked thoroughly depressed, like he had just lost a Quidditch match. He and Sirius walked inside the shop.

Remus was looking around trying to find a simple object for his mother still. He had a found a small perfume and decorative bottle; it seemed perfect for his mother. He looked up when he saw his two friends walk in, one looking quite sullen, and the other looking quite irritated.

"I heard shouting out there. Is everything all right?" he asking, already guessing that the answer would have to do with Lily Evans.

* * *

A/N: Next Chappie - Better LJ action, I promise! 


	7. Sisterly Love & Audrie

Note: I don't own Harry Potter

Happy New Year To Ye All!

A/N: My hands are freezing. I'm going to summarize a bit so I can get to LJness. I moved last week. I haven't had one chance, until now, to write this. Please forgive me…and review of course!

**Chapter 7 – Sisterly Love & Audrie**

Lily drove home shaking. She was so angry, but in heart, she wondered if she had been too mean. She understood that Potter was trying to help, but he still seemed like the egotistical jerk to her. She thought, 'What if he was just trying to win me over a little so he could deceive me in the end? A guy can't change over night. Only a few weeks ago, I slapped him for being so obnoxious with me. Now, he was helping my pick up my albums?" It was hardly something she qualified as a change.

Still, it seemed that Lily was reading too much into the whole incident. All he had done was helped her. He hadn't even asked her out. In fact, he didn't say anything rude or persuasive at all. Lily felt a surge of guilt. Maybe she had been a little too rude with Potter and Black. Just maybe. She had, after all, blown up and insulted both of them.

'Damn!' she thought. 'I do have a knack for losing my temper!" She was still angry, but now she wasn't sure who to be angry at. She was mad at herself for overreacting and being so mean, but she was mad at James because he still could have been trying to play with her mind! She laughed, sardonically. She said out loud to herself, "James Potter, the mind-player. Is this what you've resorted to calling him? You're pathetic Lily."

She sighed, as she realized that she really shouldn't have pushed him away. After all, she didn't hate James Potter. Hate was a very strong word. Yet, she still despised him and she couldn't stand being near him. He'd always call her "Evans" for one thing. Who did he think she was, his quidditch mate? Every other day in school he'd be utterly cruel to a random Slytherin; he was always hexing Severus Snape. Lily had a keen distaste for Snape herself, but it was completely wrong for James to just come and pick on him. Lily usually just wanted to be left alone by Potter. She had tried a million times to tell him this nicely; however, the message didn't get through. Ever since the end of 5th year, after the students had taken their O.W.L.S., Lily just found that being firm, mean, and loud with Potter was the best way to get him off her back – temporarily, that is.

Later that evening, Lily was brushing her long, wavy hair when a large owl swooped into her bedroom from her open window. She was startled, and she muffled a yelp with her hands. It was a large white owl, with gray spots on it and orange eyes. Lily had been expecting a letter soon from her best friend Audrie, so she tore it open. It read:

Dear Lily,

How are you? How has your summer been? Mine has been going well. A bit boring but well. I miss school, though. I miss you too! I wanted to write you earlier, but you know how I am – I'm the "procrastinator". So, I am finally doing it. July is almost over, and I am so very bored! I was hoping we could spend some time together. I asked my mum, and she said that you could stay with us for the summer. She said you could, and that it was an excellent idea! So, I was thinking – Why don't you come over in two weeks, to stay with us for the rest of the summer? There is a small magic camp near my home that many Hogwarts students are invited to. It begins in August, and we get to do a lot of neat things before school begins. Considering that you're the brightest girl in class, I'd say that you'll definitely be invited. Dad said that the invitations will be sent out next week. If you and your parents are fine with all of this, write back soon! I'll tell you now that the way to get to my home is by taking the Tube. I live in Knightsbridge. Unfortunately, it is about three hours from Elm Park, past Heathrow Airport. It's, of course, a "special" district. I'll meet you at the train station there, if and when you come to stay. Write back soon, I can't wait, please convince your parents!

Love,

Audrie

Lily jumped up in excitement, frightening Audrie's owl. The owl, in turn, hooted irritably. "Shhh," cried Lily. "I'm sorry. I'll be right up with some food and water for you. I've got an old birdcage for a parakeet I once had in my kitchen's cupboard. This way, you'll be able to rest easily tonight." The owl listened and hooted happily. Lily smiled. She turned and opened her door, standing face to face with Petunia.

Yet again, Lily had to stifle her scream with her hands. "Petunia, for goodness sakes, what are you doing?"

Petunia's expression was irritated, yet soft and curious. "What is that?" she asked. "What's all the ruckus about, Lily?"

Lily jumped up and down as she replied in one breath, "My friend Audrie from Hogwarts invited me to her house and maybe I'll get to go to Magical Camp for the summer."

Petunia's face fell in disappointment, rather than happiness for her younger sister. Her eyes became sad as she stared at her feet. She softly replied, "Oh. Well, that's great."

Lily, confused, asked, "What's wrong, Petunia? Aren't you happy for me?"

Petunia snapped back, "Of course I'm happy for you." But obviously she wasn't. Petunia Evans was 19 years old. She was completely a muggle, and she had been going to college in London for some time now. If Lily was a quiet and reserved, Pentunia was a ghost. She kept to herself so much in the Evans house that sometimes she would sometimes only come out of her room for meals. Lily never understood her.

Lily looked confused. "What's wrong?"

"Well," Petunia replied slowly. "I wanted to treat you for graduation and for just being my sister, you know. I got these concert tickets…for the Bay City Rollers."

Lily's mouth dropped in shock. Petunia had never done anything like this before. The two sisters either had bitter arguments or never spoke to one another. She jumped on Petunia, hugging her. A/N at the end of this chapter Petunia fell back with her younger, somewhat insane, redheaded sister. She muffled, "Gurroff waaryooodooon!"

Lily screamed, "I can't believe you did this for me! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I can't wait! This is going to be so much fun! You've never done anything like this before! I love the Bay City Rollers! Thank you, Petunia!"

The rest of the night, Petunia and Lily, for the first time in a very long time, spent the night talking away. They had never done this, ever since Lily had been accepted to Hogwarts.

Luckily, the Bay City Rollers concert took place in the center of London the following Friday. It had been, up until then, the greatest moment of Lily's life. The band had played her favorite songs, and she even bought the band pin and t-shirt there. Petunia, although, she wasn't as in love with the band, also had a good time.

Annette and Donald agreed to let Lily stay at Audrie's for the rest of the summer, as she had, in fact, received the invitation to magic camp. Two weeks later, Lily said her final goodbyes to her family, with tears in her eyes. She felt so sad leaving Petunia, especially since they had bonded so well for the past few weeks. She said, "Petunia, I can't wait till Christmas. I know exactly what to get you."

Petunia smiled sadly. "Yes, well…I wish I was a witch sometimes." There was a long silence. "Well have a good time."

Three and a half hours later, Lily was staring a beautiful cream-colored Victorian mansion that stood in a magical neighborhood in Knightsbridge, London. She was in a large development that was obviously owned by very wealthy families. Lily had never been inside such a big house. She, being the simple and humble girl that she was, wouldn't have even dreamed of it. The house was a mansion!

Audrie was standing besides her. She was a tall black girl. She had creamy brown skin, long straight black hair, and, surprisingly, silvery blue eyes. She was beautiful, and she had a lean athletic body. Giggling, she broke the silence by loudly saying, "It's just a house, Lily! Let's go." She grabbed a suitcase and the two girls headed inside.

Lily ate dinner with the McGregor's. It was a large dinner, and Audrie's parents, Adelle and Laurent, were very kind to Lily. They had all met before at Diagon Alley, but this was the first time that they had truly gotten to know each other. Audrie was a pureblood so her two brothers, Raul and Marius, and her sister, Seraphine, all went to Hogwarts. Audrie was the eldest child. Marius was going to be a First year. Seraphine was now a Second year, and Raul was going to his Sixth year. The dinner was very enjoyable, and everyone chatted for a long time.

After dinner, Laurent announced that the girls should wait outside on the corner at 7 PM because a bus was going to pick them up to drive them to camp. Already, Lily had arrived and the girls were going to camp. It was okay to them, though; Lily Evans and Audrie McGregor could have fun anywhere they went. The camp lasted five days a week, and they would return to Knightsbridge every two weekends.

Quickly, Lily helped Audrie pack up her things and the two went out to the corner of Audrie's long, quiet street. The sun was setting and there was already a full moon appearing in the sky. Each of the lights in the large houses twinkled in the pink sunset.

Soon a large, navy blue double-decker bus slowly drove up to Lily and Audrie. Lily and Audrie climbed in, chatting away. It was very room inside with small couches and coffee tables on which refreshments were set. The bus was very noisy as all the other students were aboard; the commotion was non-stop. Lily said hello to a few friends, but she didn't notice that James was on the same bus. James quietly glanced at her, saying nothing. Usually, he would have loudly hit on her or asked her out in this situation. He however, refrained from this and, instead, paid attention to intense game of Exploding Snap that he was playing with Sirius.

Thirty minutes later, the bus arrived at the camp, which was surrounded by a thick forest. They were parked in front of a large brick building. Around this hall, there were many small cabins. The bus was on a dirt road, and the students got off, and followed a similar path to the brick building. A small man, with crooked teeth and a large red nose grunted up to the students where he ordered them to all lease their luggage with him; he would carry it to their cabins.

Inside, the walls and ceiling were plain white. A small stage was on one end of the large, rectangular room and a kitchen was at the other. At the stage, Albus Dumbledore was standing with Professor McGonagall. There were other witches and wizards in their robes standing there. One man, looking quite frightening, had a scar down his check and a very suspicious look about him. Cornelius Fudge was also standing there. He was a very prominent figure in the Minister of Magic. (A/N: I don't think he was Minister of Magic back then.)

The room was filled with floating candles and four long tables on which the Hogwarts students sat down. When everyone had quieted down, Dumbledore stood up and began to speak.

**To Be Continued…but I promised you LJness so you get to click on the little "Next Chapter" button. Lucky you!**

_A/N: Petunia Evans may have not always hated Lily. Imagine being the child who wasn't a witch in your family. Lily receive loads of attention, and it must hurt a lot to have the sister that you were always around up until you were eleven years old sent off to a magical school. All of a sudden, she may have lost her best friend. Petunia must have also been a bit jealous. Of course, she changed to an abusive, unloving person who treated Lily's son Harry terribly. Of course, people change, and some change for the worse. Maybe I'll get to that later, and maybe I'll explain…wink wink Not all people are perfect. Petunia Evans isn't, and let's leave it at that._

A/N (a week after writing this...I'm sorry...just can't...sanity...just gone!gong!): Sorry about the randomness of this chapter. And don't do drugs. :-)


	8. A Midnight Gift

Note: I do not own Harry Potter.

A/N: I moved last week. I haven't had one chance, until now, to write this. Please forgive me…and review of course!

**Chapter 8 – A Midnight Gift**

…Dumbledore began to speak.

"Hello, Hogwarts students, and welcome to Magical Camp. This is, in fact, the first year that this camp has been run, and it is for the top students at Hogwarts in their fifth, sixth, and seventh years. I'd like to, foremost, congratulate you all for being accepted to this." He paused and there was a loud applause, as chatter amongst the students rose up and quickly died down. He continued, "The schedule of activities for all the students are posted on the main bulletin to the kitchen. I, myself, will be overlooking everything that will take place at this camp. The other teachers here will be teaching and assisting you. May I introduce the main teachers. This is Alastor Moody, one of the Ministry of Magic's top aurors…"

Lily was sitting with Audrie and some other friends. Alice Chamberlain and Frank Longbottom were sitting there, together, as always. They were such a cute couple, Lily thought. Jamie Spinnet, Natalie McLaughlin, and Christine Pingleting were all there. Even now, at camp, all of the members of the houses at this camp were divided, Lily noticed. Lily was a Gryffindor. The other tables consisted of Slytherins (who still seemed to maintain their nasty looks), Hufflepuffs, and Ravenclaws. Down the table from her, she saw James and Sirius talking in hushed whispered. Lily frowned. She wondered where Remus must have been. He was very bright too. It was unthinkable that Remus had not been accepted into the camp. Maybe he was ill, Lily thought to herself.

Dumbledore continued. "We have set many activities for you, some of which all you are required to take." Some students groaned, at this comment, thinking that these activities may involve boring or extremely difficult tasks. However, there was a twinkle of amusement in Dumbledore's eyes, James noticed. "You will also find merriment and entertainment in your time spent in this camp. Also, I expect all of you to be on your best behavior, as all the rules at Hogwarts School apply here too." He looked at Sirius and James at that point. Many of the girls giggled. Sirius grinned widely, while James just smirked slight, blushing. Their reputation as troublemakers would never die down. Lily rolled her eyes.

Dumbledore finished with a stern and solemn comment, "The forest is completely off limits and guarded so that no human being can enter, unless they choose the ultimate price of death." The room went silent. Dumbledore, looking quite grave, continued, "Consider the forest as the Forbidden Forest back in Hogwarts. It is completely off limits! This is no laughing matter. We have taken many measures to ensure your safety at this camp. I, daresay, that I do not expect any misbehavior or mischief with Hogwarts' top students. Now, I would like you all to take your cabin rosters and schedules from the Herald (he pointed to the man with the red nose), and go immediately to your cabins. Have a good night's rest and your activities will begin tomorrow. Good night."

Lily and Audrie got up many walked through the immense crowd of students who were all trying to get their schedules from Herald, who looked extremely irritated. He kept on barking to the students. "All roight! All roight! Get in a loine! Wight yore turn!" Lily and Audrie finally reached Herald in the line. He gruffly asked Lily, "Name?"

Lily responded, "Evans. I'm Lily Evans." Herald held out his chubby hand holding with a small piece of parchment. Lily reached for it. It was very difficult to open it up and read it in the midst of a few hundred Hogwarts students. Soon, Audrie had her schedule in her hands and the two girls were both standing there.

"Lily! We are in the same cabin! And most of our activities, they're the same!" Audrie had to yell to be heard.

"Yes! Haha, they know better than to separate us, Audrie!" Lily replied happily. At this point, the students were walking outside to their cabins. The two girls began to walk towards the door. Suddenly, someone brushed by Lily. She couldn't see them, and it was very sudden, but she was left holding a small bit of folded up parchment in her hands. It read, "To Lily."

She hastened to catch up with Audrie, who was now outside. Lily whispered, "Let's get to our cabin, Audrie. I have to show you something." Lily practically ran to her cabin, with Audrie coming steadily behind her.

The girls found that their cabin was in the middle of the grounds and they quickly lit some candles with their wands. Soon, an aura of light flickered and illuminated the cabin. Lily explained to Audrie, "And I got this just when we were about to leave."

Audrie almost yelled at Lily. "Well, read it already!"

Lily, with great anticipation, opened up the paper. It read: "Lily, Wait outside the main hall where the tall oak tree stands just before 12. I only want to speak with you. I mean no harm. Please come. Sincerely, James Potter."

Lily's mouth was open in shock. She had no idea what to say or do. She looked up at Audrie, with a questioning look. "I don't know…if."

Audrie replied, "Just, go, Lily. He didn't rude in the note. Maybe he just wants to make amends. You yourself said that you felt bad for being so mean to him. Who knows, maybe you'll end up liking him, you know." Audrie smirked.

Lily hissed, "Bite your tongue!" She was blushing so much that her face matched her crimson hair. She sighed, as Audrie giggled a bit. When she saw Lily's expression, she quickly sobered her own though.

Audrie said, in a more serious tone. "Lily. For once in your life, let your guard down and go to him. Just hear what he has to say."

Lily looked up to Audrie as single tear fell from her eyes. "Yes. I think I will." The two friends hugged.

* * *

Just before midnight, Lily quietly walked out of her cabin. All the lights of the camp were off; starlight was Lily's only source of light. She walked along the ground, trying not to step on any leaves or twigs. She finally reached the wide oak tree standing beside the camp's main ground. Lily took a small breathe and stood there waiting, wishing deep inside that she wasn't going to wait in vain.

The minutes ticked by and Lily's tension grew. It began a little bit cold, and she was glad that she was wearing her cloak. It was silky and black, a Christmas present given to her from Audrie.

Suddenly, Lily heard someone move swiftly from behind her. She turned around and whispered, "James? Are you there." Her heart were beating so rapidly, Lily was sure that Dumbledore himself would come out soon to catch her outside, breaking the camp rules.

The next moment, a large, strong arm grabbed Lily by the waist and pulled her under a soft, silvery cloth over her. Lily almost screamed but this person put as finger to her lips. Someone very tall was standing, face-to-face, with Lily. She recognized the messy black hair, and the moonlight shone through the cloth and reflected in his hazel eyes. Lily was frozen in his arms. He was much taller, so was looking down a little. She saw the outline of his lips. James Potter was so…handsome. Lily was surprised to be even thinking this.

"I didn't mean to scare you. It's an invisibility cloak. I just didn't want us to get caught," he whispered. "Hello Lily."

"Hello James." She replied with bated breath.

"Let's go to the edge of the camp, where we're less likely to get caught" He took her hand and gently pulled her.

Lily resisted. "James, I broke enough rules for you. I'm not going into the forest."

James stopped, and took off the cloak. He smiled, devilishly. "Who said anything about going into the forest? Trust me Lily, I wouldn't dream of doing anything that dangerous."

Lily looked relieved and somewhat guilty for jumping to conclusions. James held out his hand for Lily to take. Hesitantly, Lily took it. He put the cloak over them and they walked to the quiet end of the camp. James held Lily the whole time so she wouldn't trip; it was, after all, very difficult to walk under a cloak together. James was strong and it was strangely warm when he held her.

They stopped in a small clearing. It was still far from the forest, but there were no buildings there. James was being very mysterious. He only smiled and took off the cloak. As he folded it quietly, Lily looked around, still wondering what this was all about.

James stood up and looked down the Lily. He couldn't help but think about how beautiful she looked with the starlight reflecting on her dark red hair. He finally broke the silence. "Lily. Thank you for coming. Well, err, I brought you here…because I wanted to tell you that I don't want you to hate me anymore."

"James, I don't ha-"

"You still despise me, Lily. Don't deny it. I don't blame you either. I haven't behaved nicely with you, anyway. But I brought you here, because I truly don't want the enmity to continue. I want to make this camp fun for both of us. I don't want to start or begin 7th year at Hogwarts like this, either. That's why I'd like to tell you, Lily, that I'm sorry."

Lily looked taken aback. Never in her life had she heard James Potter say those two words. "What did you say?"

James continued. "I said I'm sorry. For everything. I'm sorry I was so cocky and I am sorry for constantly acting like an arse. I'm sorry I put you through all that; it was wrong of me. I shouldn't have asked you out all the time, and I should have been so egotistical. Most of all, I shouldn't have made you suffer for my arrogance." James had never looked more sincere in his life. Lily had the strange feeling that if she had slapped him now, he would cry.

She smiled tenderly. "It's ok," she replied quietly. "I forgive you."

James sighed with relief. "Good! We're friends, now?"

"Well…I guess if we were to be friends, I'd have to apologize to _you_."

James mouth dropped.

Lily continued, "And I'd have to apologize to Sirius because I was recently rude to him too."

James replied, "Wow. I really didn't expect that." Lily just shrugged, smiling widely. "That's so great, Lily. Friends. I hope this year is much better now. Can we forget the past?"

Lily replied, "Of course not." James' face fell.

"But we can start over now, without holding the past against each other."

James smiled widely. "That's wonderful. Thank you. Lily Evans, you are just full of surprises." Deep down, he thought, 'You're like no other girl that I know!' He looked into her green eyes, and for the first time in his life, those eyes were warm and caring. They weren't angry.

He fiddled with something in his pocket. He took out a small wrapped box. He handed the gift to Lily. "Here," he said. "As a token of friendship, take this."

Lily couldn't believe it. She unwrapped the box, in awe. "James, you shouldn't have. I really-"

James told her smiling , "Just open it."

Lily couldn't say no. She opened the little box, and her breath was taken away. It was the jade necklace from _Pinkie's Closet_. The lightning bolt, it seemed, was shimmering a little. Maybe it was the light from the stars, she thought. Lily couldn't believe it. "James. It's – how did you – Remus told you, I can't believe this- how could you – why did you?" She couldn't even put together proper words. Her eyes were swelling up with tears. "It was so much trouble for you to – "

James put his hand up to stop her. "Lily. I'm not going to ask you out anymore. You may have thought it was a lie, or that you were just some sort of prize to me, but I'm not going to impress on you the way I feel about you. In honesty, I love you. But that doesn't mean you have to love me back. And I don't want you to be uncomfortable about this, because, I swear, I'll never ever try to make a move on you again. Just, please – accept this gift. After this, I'll go on, just being your friend, and I'll never bother you with this sort of rubbish again. Just know that it would kill me if you didn't accept this."

Lily's voice was quivering . "James, I can't believe you did this for me. No boy had ever done this sort of thing for me." Tears were slowly coming down her face. She was truly touched by the gift. "I had no idea that you cared for me that much."

"Lily don't cry. Why do you girls cry all the time?" He pulled her into a hug. Funny how, they were hugging like they'd known and liked each other their whole lives, when in fact, one hated the other just a week ago.

Lily laughed and looked up at him. "Thank you," she said through tears. "Actually the only boy I've cried over is you." She laughed even more. "You've driven me mad these past years."

James looked down and smiled wistfully. "You're welcome," he replied. "And the only girl, other than my mum, I've ever cried over…is you."

Lily sniffed, because she really couldn't speak at that point. All those locked emotions about James Potter were finally free. Maybe, deep down, she had always hoped he would the boy that had just spilled his heart out for her.

James held Lily for a long time. They stood together, embracing and watching the stars. Lily stopped crying, and asked James to put the necklace on her. He delicately pulled her hair away and clasped the gold chain around her petite neck. When it came time to say goodbye (an hour later), James held Lily's hand as they walked to her cabin under the invisibility cloak.

At Lily's door, James said awkwardly, "Well, goodnight. I hope that you, err, enjoyed tonight."

Lily smiled and looked up at his hazel eyes. She replied, "James, you've given me the best gift a girl could ever ask for." And, instead of pointing to the necklace, she took his hand and put it on his chest. "You've given me your heart." She leaned up and gave him a soft, sweet, quick kiss. After pulling away, she softly said, "Goodnight" and walked inside.

The look on James Potter, who was still outside was, priceless. Half of his body was missing, because the invisibility cloak was barely on him. His mouth was open and his eyes were staring at the door where Lily had been standing. James couldn't believe it. His greatest wish in the world had come true.


	9. Art of Butterfly?

Author's Note: I don't Harry Potter

Authors note: I haven't written because I have been uber busy lately. I stayed up all night – on a school night, might I add – to write this. It's complete and utter crap, but I was having a moment of complete delirium. Please review but don't kill me…I love you all so much for the wonderful reviews and support – the measure of appreciation that I have for that is up to par with how much James loves Lily…if that clarifies anything. Have a good Valentine's Days, everyone…I wish JP was alive and that I had red hair….sigh…then again, it's 1:40 AM and I'm insane….

**Chapter 9 – Art of Butterfly?**

Lily woke up the next morning to a fluffy pillow being shoved in her face while Audrie yelled to her, "Rise and shine sleepy head, you're late! And we have a lot of talking to do!"

Through muffled gasps, Lily managed to say, "Guttovvvvvvv me Au—ee!" She breathed deeply and finally replied, "Give me a moment!"

Audrie giggled. "Hurry up!" she cried as she pulled up the shades of the cabin. Brilliant yellow sunlight streamed through the window. Lily slowly stepped out of her bed, and rubbed her eyes. She realized that maybe she had slept a bit too much – Audrie was already dressed in her robes. She groaned when she looked at the small, worn clock hanging on the far wall in the cabin. She had twenty minutes before she had to be out at the camp; she even missed breakfast! Lily quickly retrieved her wand and made her bed with a spell. "Foliculus!" she cried, and the sheets pulled themselves straight. The pillow fluffed up as if an invisible fist were pounding it. The comforter folded itself.

Next, Lily put her black robes on; they were for school, but she had a funny feeling that everyone would be wearing them, even to camp. Finally, she brushed her hair teeth. When she checked herself in the mirror, she took a double-take. Her eyes opened wide. There was the jade-heart pendant hanging on her neck! "Oh my goodness! It wasn't just a dream!"

Audrie burst out, "I thought you'd never tell me about that! Come on Lily, spill!"

Lily smiled, remembering all the things that James had told her the night before. She told Audrie everything about the previous night. She finished her story with, "Audrie. I kissed him!"

"Really? Wow."

Lily gazed in the mirror, thoughtfully at the pendant. The lightning bolt was still slightly glowing. How mysterious. "Well, it was just a peck."

"On the?"

Lily blushed and turned to Audrie. "Lips," she replied confidently. "I just. I don't know. You had to be there. Deep down, James is really a nice person."

This caused Audrie's mouth to drop.

"I can't believe you're saying this."

Lily frowned. "Don't worry, Audrie, it doesn't mean we're dating or anything! I just…think he's sweet."

"No, it's not that. I didn't actually believe, myself, that you'd see James Potter's softer side."

Lily's eyes widened. "Yeah, I know what you mean! And since when did you even know he had a softer side?"

"Oh please, you have no idea how many times he's asked me to convince you to go out with him. Sometime in between, I realized how sincere he was."

"Yeah." Lily said quietly. For some reason, she felt sort of special for being the girl that James actually cared about. She asked Audrie, "Do you think I should have accepted the necklace? Do you think he's going to think that we're a couple?"

"Do you want to be a couple?"

Lily bit her lip. "I like him, but I want to give this a little time. I hate rushing into things. Just because I kissed him doesn't mean that I love him. I just feel…special. I guess I was a bit emotional last night, but he really was adorable. Still, I don't want to just go out with him. I want to get to know who the real James Potter is first."

"I understand. Tell him that." Audrie replied.

Lily smiled widely. "Ok. Enough of James Potter. Let's get to the first day of camp without being late!" Lily and Audrie grabbed their wands and ran out of the cabin.

"You're late Miss Evans. And you too, Miss McGregor." The instructor was Miss Hornchurch. She had long navy blue hair, and she was wearing silky dress that matched the color of her eyes. She was very beautiful.

"Sorry, Miss Hornchurch," Lily and Audrie replied, breathlessly. They had had to run to the middle of the campground to a large clearing. This was their second activity of the day; the first one was to swim in the lake by conjuring Gillyweed. It was midday and the sun was shining. Lily and Audrie had run a little bit late, after their lunch, so they had been forced to run all the way to their second activity.

Miss Hornchurch smiled. She was a very nice and patient teacher from Hogwarts. Yet, she could still be very strict. "Do not make a habit out of this."

"Yes ma'am." The girls replied.

Miss Hornchurch continued. "Your first activity will be to attempt the Caudatus Spell. It is a very difficult charm, in which you need to concentrate and stay focused. Most full-grown wizards cannot even master this spell. The Caudatus Spell allows a witch or wizard to temporarily flutter in the air for a short period of time. As you all know, even wizards have not created or found the magic to enable us to fly yet. However, when you perform this spell, you grow wings like that of a butterfly and you can fly or flutter for a small distance and for a short time. It is a very tricky spell, I am warning you. When your flight is almost over, your wings will gently and slowly fly down back to the ground; at all other times, you will have control over them. Whenever you are in the air, you must concentrate to tell your wings which direction you wish to go, and you must say it loudly and clearly. If not, you may find that you are flying somewhere very inconvenient and dangerous. When you reach the ground, the wings will stop flying altogether. The spell is over. I know that many of you think that you can fly long distances reusing the spell over and over again. However, you are wrong. Those who have tried to use the spell that many times have ended up with broken, ugly wings that are permanently attached to them." Miss Hornchurch looked very grave, saying this. "Remember, magic is a very strange power. It knows when you are abusing it. As I was saying, the Caudatus Spell is not a spell for flying long distances, but instead, it is one that is for temporary convenience. Allow me to demonstrate."

Miss Hornchurch raised her long wands, and pointed it towards herself. Clearly and loudly, she said, "Caudata!" Suddenly, a large pair of navy blue wings resembling those of a butterfly's (except they were much larger) appeared on her back. All the students whispered excitedly. The girls were in awe of the beauty of the wings; the boys sniggered, thinking that they had come to a camp for childish games. Lily listened intently to Miss Hornchurch. She found this to be fascinating.

Miss Hornchurch looked around smiling. She was still on the ground, but her wings were flapping madly. "I advise you all to be very careful with this spell. A butterfly may be small, but it travels quite quickly and it is a very bumpy ride." She smiled, and yelled, "Up!" In an instant, she rose. Her wings were flapping all about. Obviously, she had mastered flying under this spell, because all of the students saw how quickly she moved. She was also bouncing up and down gently, like a butterfly does in the air.

"Forward! Backwards! Turn to the right! Turn to the left!" She demonstrated flying all around the clearing. Miss Hornchurch was soaring about 15 feet in the air.

Finally, she yelled. "If you wish to land early, simply tell your wings to fly down. But remember; tell your wings to fly down slowly. Once you land, your wings will stop flying, though! Ok, now you all can try." She commanded her wings again. "Fly down slowly!" She gently flew down to where the crowd of students was. When her feel were planted firmly to the ground, her wings stopped flapping. "Caudintailus!" she said, pointing to herself again. The beautiful, shimmering wings dissolved into thin air. She smiled, looking at everybody's confused and intimidated face. "Now, you didn't think this camp was going to be that easy, did you? Come on, let's go."

Slowly the students spread out in the clearing. Lily was standing ten feet away from Audrie. They both looked hesitantly at each other. Lily said weakly, "I'd give anything for a broom right now."

Audrie replied, "It can't be that bad, can it?" She didn't look as confident as her words were. Then again, Audrie was on the Gryffindor Quidditch team; she was constantly flying. Lily vaguely remembered the fearful flight she had taken in her first year; yes, she thought: It could be that bad.

Lily concentrated. She pointed to herself and clearly said, "Caudatus!" She felt a tickling sensation on her back and suddenly fell a humming vibration on her back. From the corner of her eyes, she saw two very dark red wings flapping behind her behind her. She was very nervous, but she bravely said to her wings, "Up!"

In a flash, Lily zoomed up to about twenty feet in the air. She looked down; the ground seemed to be a mile away. Her stomach soared and her head was spinning, as the wings were moving her up and about. For a moment, she felt like the contents of a bottle, being shaken up. Realizing that she had to act quickly, Lily made sure that no one was flying to close to her. She said, "Forward!" The wings lunged and Lily screamed as she felt herself zoom forward as a fast as a Golden Snitch. Looking around, she understood why this was such a difficult spell. _Humans were not adept at the art of butterfly._ Some girls were flailing all about on their wings. One boy looked absolutely confused and his wings kept on flying him in a circle. In the distance, Audrie was doing a little better than most at controlling her wings.

Lily's head was throbbing. She continued to practice flying for the next ten minutes, failing at keep her balanced or controlling the wings. At some points, she had a sneaky feeling that her wings had a mind of her own. She didn't like flying this way. Minutes later, her wings began to slow down. "Uh-oh," Lily told herself. Now she had to land safely. She looked down at the grass where the students had gathered. No one was there. "Forward. Ok. Now, down…" She felt like she had headed down the dip of a roller coaster from hell! Except, this was magic camp, and it was a lot more complicated. "SLOWLY!" she yelled, as her stomach squirmed. "Down slowly." She slowed down and landed. She breathed a sigh of relief.

As she tried to catch her breath, she soon heard a rustle behind her. Audrie had fallen to the ground, while trying to land. She wasn't seriously hurt, but she had landed right on her bum. Now, Lily was already frustrated; if it had been her who fell, she might have cried in frustration. But this was Audrie, who had one hell of a sense of humor. With dirt and dust all over her recently washed robes, she simply laughed out.

Lily had to laugh to. She walked over and helped Audrie up. "That was…"

"Pure Hell!" Audrie exclaimed, standing up and wiping herself.

Lily laughed meekly. "Well put, Audrie! My head is still spinning."

A third voice joined in. "Well, done Miss Evans and Miss McGregor. You two were the best so far in their first attempt of the Caudatus Spell!" Miss Hornchurch had walked over to them, smiling widely, and talking in her usual upbeat, slow, yet mysterious voice.

Lily, with barely a smile, quietly thanked her. Audrie grunted, in reaction. It was quite apparent that the spell was one of the most difficult that the two girls (who were, in fact, one of the brightest at Hogwarts) had ever performed and it had been most unpleasant.

"I would like you to try it again."

Lily's emerald eyes grew small. No! No! No! She thought. Audrie simply grunted again. "Yes, ma'am," Lily replied.

Miss Hornchurch walked away, her navy blue waving offensively in Lily's face. The two girls stood in the middle of the clearing in despair. Every now and then, they would hear someone yell or groan; many had landed now. After waiting as long as they could to stall the spell, they spread apart and used their wands again. Reluctantly, they performed the Caudatus Spell again.

Lily felt the unpleasantness in the butterfly spell, yet again. This time, though, she concentrated more, and she tried most of all to ignore the lurching of the stomach.

The sun was setting by the time she landed from her third time. By the then, no one had mastered the spell, but Lily felt that had done pretty well. Overall she had directed herself in the right directions (most of the time, that is) and she hadn't crashed. She was so weary from pure and relentless concentration and determination that she wanted to fall right back into her bed at the very moment of landing. She stared with glazed eyes as Audrie walked over her, who held a similar look of exhaustion.

"Lily Audria Evans! You're bloody insane. I gave up after my second try! We all did. Except, of course, you!" She was walked down the path with the rest of the class, with a very tired Lily leaning upon her.

It was quite funny, as Audrie's usually long straight black hair was everywhere, and Lily's usually curly locks were now frizzy and insanely wind-blown. Since her head was resting on Audrie's shoulder, the rest of their mates only saw a mass of black and dark red hair from behind. It didn't matter though, since most of the class was in the same condition. Some were walking like Lily, unstably and in zigzags. Others were ailing their cuts and bruises and other various injuries. Luckily, no one had gotten seriously hurt. Lily thought to herself, it's nice to know that the top students of Hogwarts were at least talented enough not to maim or kill themselves when doing magic. Lily sighed. "Ah, you know me, Audrie. I had to get it. I just had to!"

"My lovely perfectionist of a friend, you are still mad. You need to slow down sometimes, girl!"

"Never!" Lily barely whispered, not sounding half as forceful as her words were.

"Seriously, Lily, you work too hard sometimes. I mean, you have a _lifetime_ (Author's Note: tear…no she doesn't, Audrie! Let her do her thing.) to master the Caudatus Spell. You crazy loon, I'm surprised you're still conscious. You didn't take one break or even one second to relax today." Audrie had a loving way of scolding her best friend, and Lily knew that. She didn't take any offense to it. This conversation was all in good humor.

The girls were in the center of the camp grounds now. Lily replied, "I know, I know, Audrie. But…I just had to! I had to do my best. I didn't expect to be perfect on my first try –"

"Well, that's a relief…for a moment there –"

Lily continued, smiling "but I wanted to come as close to perfect as I humanly could."

Audrie sighed. "I know. I know. It's sick, Lily. You know that right? I want you to know that, because you're perfect just the way you are, and you don't have to kill yourself and stress yourself out about everything. Just try to relax. It's camp, for Merlin's sake! You don't have to be great at everything"

Lily questioning looked up at Audrie, laughing at her friend's response. "I'm not that sick, am I?"

Audrie's brown face turned grave. "Lily, if you don't loosen up soon, I don't know what I'm going to do with you."

Lily replied. "Well, you could always just place me in front of a Hungarian Horntail, you know. That would do the job!"

Audrie smiled devilishly. "I like that, Lily. I like it a lot. I'm seriously going to consider it, you know. It's officially on my to-do list."

Lily who was trying now to walk on her own gave Audrie a thumbs up laughing quietly. She was delusional. She yelled, "Sounds absolutely, incredibly, oh-so-totally spiffing Audrie!"

Audrie's eyebrow's raised with concern and her eyes showed amusement. "You really have lost it!" She grabbed Lily's hand, and pulled her over beside a tree. She raised two fingers from her left hand. "Lily, how many fingers am I holding up?"

Lily giggled but then confidently answered, "Seven!" with a straight face.

"And your favorite color is?"

"Audrie, you know that, for goodness sakes, it's Watermelon." Lily stood there, leaning back and forth. Stars were spinning in her eyes. Everyone was so loud. Audrie was acting like her mother. I'm a bit tired, she thought to herself. Suddenly, she realized that she was being held up by the tree behind her; gravity seemed to be intense at this camp ground! Geeze!

Audrie was completely nervous now. "Lily, you really need to rest up. I really think you exerted yourself far too much today." She hesitated. "What House are we in at Hogwarts?"

Lily brushed Audrie off and rolled her eyes. "Pshh. Easy! Chudley Cannons." She laughed out loud at the silliness of the question and turned around to continue walking. But with a big thud her head walked straight something very hard. She almost fell over, but someone's long arms caught her just in time. Thinking that she had walked into the tree, Lily stupidly said, "Owe" much later than she should have. "Thanks Audrie."

A masculine voice, replied. "You're welcome, although I beg to differ about your House name."

Lily looked up, and saw that it was not Audrie, but James holding her up. Perfect! She thought to herself. Perfect! She added on to her wave of confusion, the reply, the "What? Oh, yeah. Um, thank you, Gryffindor." That is, she addressed James as Gryffindor.

James silently smiled, wistfully, and his hazel eyes shined with amusement. Lily blushed scarlet red, realizing all the stupid comments she had just made in her extreme fatigue.

She heard a loud snort as Sirius Black's face emerged from behind James. "Feeling all right there, Evans?" He playfully frowned. "I don't know, James, I'd get anybody who supported the Chudley Cannons checked out. To see if they're right in the head. Now, Lily, if you had said Puddlemere United, I really wouldn't have questioned you."

Audrie giggle from behind Lily. Lily didn't. "Oh um…right," she whispered. Appalled at herself, she realized that James had been holding her up for quite some time now. She straightened up hastily, brushing her hair out of her face. She was still the lovely shade of a tomato.

Sirius and Audrie both gave suppressed giggles, as James gentlemanly pulled away, putting his hands to his sides. He was still wearing the smile, the one that Lily knew was saying, "You're quite funny when you're befuddled and embarrassed like this. I love you. What are you going to do next? I hope you don't hit me." She felt like a complete fool. His eyes glinted and the worst part was that he managed to still look so amazingly handsome with the sunlight reflecting on his face. It all made her want to run and hide, hoping that the entire day had been an awful, terrible dream. Still, no one had broken the awkward silence.

Sirius and Audrie, on one hand, were waiting to see for themselves the change in her. Obviously, both knew the events that happened the night before. Apparently there is just no such thing as a secret anymore, Lily thought furiously. James stood there, just enjoying it all, and hoping that Lily wouldn't be the stubborn girl that she usually was – the one that would blame this entire situation somehow on him to avoid embarrassment.

Lily hesitantly looked up at all three of them. The worst was to look at James; somehow, her heartbeat multiplied one billion times when she looked at him. She wanted to cry. Instead of having that condescending air to him, which would usually make her feel to small and little and angry, he looked at her warmly, and his eyes were so soft! It was like he was telling her silently that he could love her, even when she was like this – even with her crazy hair, her crazy words, and running into a tree – no wait! That was James' chest…funny how it was as hard a tree.

And somehow, looking a Sirius and Audrie was strange too, because they had another type of bemused, loving expression on their faces. The type of expression that said, "We've known forever that one day James will catch you and you will let him." The type of expression that one sees in a wedding album, where all of your best girlfriend and mates look at you, happily knowing that you were bound to be in love.

Lily said while smiling, "I'm an idiot," allowing the humorous tone that everyone else was sharing to be in it.

James replied. "Not at all."

Lily gulped and stared right at him, although she was terrified of doing it. She was terrified of actually giving in, but she took a brave step and did it. She said the three simple words that she had said last night, but this time they had wholly new meaning, profound to all that actually knew her. "Thank you James." She felt her heartbeat drop, as everyone sighed with relief inside.

James' face colored a little bit too. "Don't worry about it." His grinned widened, but he remained where he standing.

Lily sighed. "Well, I guess…"

"Are you all right?" James asked.

"I'm really fi-"

Audrie interrupted, "You just need to relax a little, Lily."

"Um, yeah –, "Lily tried to speak.

Sirius added, "Why don't you go and freshen up? Might I suggest a warm shower with -"

James blushed furiously and shot Sirius a dangerous look.

Instead of getting angry at the suggestion, though, Lily laughed. "Forget it, Black. I'd pass out anyway, and then that would be quite a problem. They'd wonder how an unconscious 7th year girl could possible end up in the men's shower stalls. And how would I be sure that you wouldn't just leave me there to freeze on the cold, wet, moldy shower floor? Obviously, I'd say that you used magic to influence me. It would be entirely your fault! Yeah, really not a good idea."

Sirius's and James' mouth dropped. Being Marauders, they could recover from so many jokes with sexual innuendo, but the one that just escaped from Lily's mouth was the most unexpected thing they had ever heard in their lives. Audrie just laughed.

Lily began walking casually towards her cabin, and she still managed to stumble. James grabbed her hand and held her up, mouth still wide open.

Then suddenly, Sirius spoke again. "Lily Evans!" he exploded. "I can't believe you just said that!" He smiling.

Lily turned around to look at him, with a puzzled look on her face. "Said what?"

Sirius sputtered. "You-you know!"

"No…I don't know." She asked firmly, "What did I say?"

Sirius sighed. "Nice try, Lily. But I know you know what you said.

Lily, with a completely sirius and believable face said, "No I don't. And you just called me Lily. You never call me that! Thank you."

Sirius replied huffily. "Don't try changing the subject Lily, and you're welcome! We were just talking about showers and – "

Audrie cut in. "Well, I am taking a shower now, so goodbye."

Lily waved goodbye as Audrie walked towards the showers on the right. With a look of realization, Lily let go of James' hand. She said to Sirius, "Oh right, about the showers."

Sirius replied, "Yes. I can't believe you said it, but I'm somehow strangely proud and happy that you were capable of saying such a thing. Honestly, though, I think James digs you a bit more. But really, I am flattered that you would be so interested in me."

Lily replied loudly, "Sirius, I wouldn't shower with you for all galleons in Diagon Alley."

James just shook his head.

Sirius laughed. "Didn't think so. Ok, then it's settled. Go off with James, and I'll just warn Dumbledore and Audrie that you two are going to be shagging in your cabin from dinnertime till dawn. See you later you!" With that, he ran off to bother Audrie in the showers.

Lily's face turned back to the lovely crimson it had been just a few minutes before. So Sirius had turned the table on her! "Now wait just one minute Sirius. I was only joking! Don't you dare say anything!" She screamed.

James had to turn his head away so she couldn't see him laughing; of course, James was an honorable young man – still, it was only human to have fantasies…none of which he considered as remotely possible…none of which he would ever impress on anybody, especially Lily. Still, he was aware that the thought of these same fantasies would be nightmares in her mind.

Lily stood there fuming, and from behind her, he heard gentle laughing. James looked purely delighted. She hadn't heard his laughter in so long that it felt nice. She walked up to him and smiled. "You think I'm wicked, don't you?"

"I think you just got a taste of your own medicine."

"Ugh! I know!" she exclaimed, and she giggled as James laughed even harder. He had been so respectful and quiet and solemn lately, that it was absolutely lovely to see his laugh.

"And the joke…" James continued.

"I'm very tired James," she said quickly.

"I never did imagine that you could say something...well…so racy!"

Lily explained, "That's what happens when I'm exhausted and delusional."

James finally regained his self-control. "I thought I had you all figured out."

Lily bit her tongue. "Me too…I guess we were both wrong."

"Way wrong!" James smiled devilishly. He advanced toward her, and said, "Now will it be my cabin or yours?"

Lily's mouth dropped. "It'll be my face in your face, James Potter, if you don't stop giving me that look! Look, I'm very tired, and I just want to go to sleep! And don't you dare come closer. James, stop! James, one more step, and – AHH!"

He had lifted Lily's petite body into both arms. "Where to, madam?"

"James, I really can walk, you know. What if someone sees us! What will they think? This is so irresponsible, James!" She was tempted to hit him.

"Lily, you look so worn out. You're telling me that you can walk like you were walking a few moments ago? In zigzags? I think not."

Lily scowled. She hated being the damsel in distress!

There was a long pause, as James continued carry her. He said, "God, you weigh a ton!"

"How romantic, James, really, thank you! I'm flattered. You're such a charmer, I do wonder how you became so popular. Ugh! You're so impossible! Gah, I just can't stand you sometimes!"

"You're very welcome, Miss Evans. You could stop yelling at me for just a moment and make this easier for me by putting your arms around my neck." Lily blushed. She realized how much more strain she was putting on him by resisting to be carried. Finally, she gave in. Angrily, and hesitantly, she wrapped her arms around his strong neck and shoulders.

James smiled and winked her. "Thank you! My, this will be a fun night."

"James!"

"I'm only kidding Lily. Geeze, you don't have to take everything seriously. Or is it just me that you can never joke with? Calm down!"

"Whatever! I hope you know that…Well, I know what you think but -"

"And what did you do all day to put you in such a state? Was someone bothering you?"

"No, no! We learned that Caudatus Spell this afternoon."

"Oh that, yes. My group did that early this morning. Very simple, really, piece of cake. Sirius and I were zooming everywhere!"

Lily's heart fell. She felt so…inferior. James had recalled the spell if it had been as easy and caring for a flobberworm. She, on the other hand, had worked all day long to try to get at least a little bit better at the spell. She had exerted herself to the farthest limit, yet he had excelled at it without even trying that much. She desolately replied, "Oh, yeah."

James continued speaking, with the irritation fresh and obvious in his voice, "What were you saying before?"

Lily burst out. "That I hope you don't think I'm your girlfriend now or anything. Because I'm most definitely not! I mean, I barely know you! How can I even say that I'm your friend?" She hadn't meant to sound so rude, but her words came out very harshly.

James stopped walking. He held her even tighter, and Lily could see the hurt that he was trying to cover up in his eyes. He asked her directly and emotionlessly, "Then why are you wearing the necklace? That was given to you as a friend. And the kiss you gave me last night. What did that mean?"

Lily's eyes were swelling up with tears. "I don't know, I was, out of it, I…"

"Nevermind," James said resolutely. Lily knew that he was crushed. She also knew that it was all her fault. He said, "It's fine. Whatever." He continued to carry her to her cabin, and the rest of the journey was in silence. Lily was trying to hold back tears, and she couldn't bring herself to say anything remotely decent to James. She felt terrible.

Finally, they reached her door. The sky was pitch black. Gently he placed her down and brusquely said, "I have to go now. Night." He turned around, and he began to walk away, pretending to be cold and indifferent, whereas he really couldn't show her how much she had just hurt him.

Lily reached for James. "No, James. Wait!" She let the tears that she had been trying to fight overflow. She fell directly into his arms, and for maybe the third time that day, he chose to catch her. "Please don't! I can't do this anymore. I can't fight with you all the time. I'm so sorry."

James sighed. He held her and led her inside of the cabin. Wiping away her tears, he whispered, "Shh. Don't cry. We'll talk about all of it tomorrow"

But Lily was inconsolable. She was heavily sobbing. Her head was under .his chin and her hands were in fists on his chest. The day had been absolutely terrible and draining for her. "You don't understand," she cried. "I just can't do this. It's killing me."

James, who had instantly softened up at the sight of her first tear, slowly led her into bed. Lying down next to her, he kissed her on the forehead once. Holding her, he let Lily cry in his arms for the better part of the night. Knowing that the scars of their argument ran deep, he couldn't manage to leave her. Instead, he gave her ever comfort that he could possibly think of. He rubbed back and neck. He pulled back and combed her soft hair. He put a blanket over her to warm her, and he held her hands.

Never had he felt such strange and delicate intimacy. Never had he realized how fragile his relationship was with her. He felt an exhilarating sensation in every touch they shared. With each soothing action that actually calmed her down a little more, he felt like he had found more meaning in life. Lily Evans was that meaning. He wouldn't let anyone ever hurt her; or he would die trying. He was aching inside just because Lily was so distraught.

As Lily's last tear came down, James even sang to her. She fell sound asleep. And although he couldn't sleep until he was sure that she was perfectly fine, he couldn't help but notice that their heartbeats were exactly the same.

"_Close your eyes and I will be swimming.  
lullabies fill your room, and I will be singing  
singing to only you  
don't forget ill hold your head  
watch the night sky fading red _

but as you sleep, and no one is listening  
I will lift you off your feet, ill keep you from sinking  
don't you wake up yet, cause soon ill be leaving you  
soon ill be leaving you, but you won't be leaving me."

(Author's Note: It's Something Corporate…not 1970's…I was in the mood for something edgy…don't ruin the James moment please!"


	10. A Conversation to Remember

Author's Note: I don't own Harry Potter.

Author's other note: Ok…well…I don't even think I want to read the last chappie…I mean…yeah I revised but still….please review nicely. makes note to self – never write a fan fic if you have to wake up at 6 AM the next morning.

I want to continue anyway. I am not perfect, so if this is a total drag, I am really sorry.

**Chapter 10 – A Memorable Conversation**

Lily's eyes drowsily opened a few hours later. She groaned as she looked at the clock on the wall. It read 5 AM, also known in her world, the crack of dawn. She was still under the covers, facing the wall. She tried to turn over, but she quickly remembered that James was lying next to her, and she felt one of his arms wrapped tightly around her torso.

Lily panicked. "Oh Merlin!" she thought with complete fear that she did something very intimate with James the night before. Quickly and as calmly as she could, she moved slightly to see if she still had her clothes on. Relief flooded over her as she saw her robes were still firmly attached to her body. Good girl, Lily! She thought.

"Mmphmm." James murmured, as his head, which had previously been stuffed into a pillow emerged. He raised his head up for a just a few seconds barely opened his eyes; Lily was attentively watching him sleep. Then, he fell right back into bed, oblivious to the fact that he had pulls Lily even closer to his body and that now one of his tall, lanky legs was also on top of Lily.

Highly amused, Lily giggled loudly. James once again stirred, this time opening his eyes widely. It took a few seconds for him to focus and see what position he was on and who was next to him. Lily, turning redder by the moment from suppressing laughter, finally laughed out loud.

James gave her a lopsided grin. "Morning." He slowly lifted his limbs off of Lily. As he did so, Lily pulled him in from the torso into a tight hug, taking him by surprise. Eyebrows raised, he reciprocated the embrace.

Lily replied, with a shining smile on her face. "Hello. You can still sleep if you're very tired."

"No, no. It's all right. Are you feeling better?"

Lily didn't answer, even though she saw his hazel eyes penetrating and scanning her. "James, we need to talk."

"I know."

"I…well…I guess. The thing is that I feel terrible about the way I behaved last night. And I'm truly sorry." She looked solemn.

His expression wasn't cold, but it was of contemplation, of intensity, and of seriousness. Instead if replying, he asked her, "Is there something else bothering you Lily?"

Lily frowned. "No, why?"

James pulled Lily up. Gravely, he continued, "Because if there's something that has been bothering me about you, I want to know. Even if you think it will hurt my feelings."

Lily bit her lips. She blankly stated, "No, James. There's nothing." There was a long questioning silence. "So I take it that maybe you don't forgive me."

James looked disappointed. He sighed. "Lily, there _is _something else bothering you. You're not being honest. If Sirius talks about taking a shower with him, you joke heartily with him. You barely know Sirius. You've known me for how long? Even if we weren't on the best terms, I still know you better than any of my friends. So why did you act like that when I picked you up? It was as if I'm not allowed to make any suggestive jokes or even touch you or help you because I'm James." He looked completely frustrated.

Lily felt fearful and meek. "It's not that James."

"But Lily, it is that. One minute, you want to whack me with a bludger and the next, you allow me to hold you all night. What is it? Just tell me."

Lily gulped. "There's just…so much that goes into that question."

"Lily, don't you think I deserve to know?"

Lily exclaimed, "James, I don't. I don't want to hurt your feelings any more than I did last night." She looked away, ashamed. "In all honesty, I was a complete…bitch."

James pulled her in closer. His face was only inches away from hers. He said pleadingly, "Lily, just tell me. I won't hate you for it. Just don't play these games with me. Please. I need to know."

Quietly, she replied. "Ok. I don't even know where to begin. It's all because of you."

"Lily, I'm sorry about anything that hurt you! If it was carrying you, I'm so sorry. I'll never do it again. Please forgive me; I'm sorry a thousand times!"

"You didn't do anything wrong!"

"Then what is it?"

"James! It's just that…I can't…I could never ever…be perfect around you!" she exclaimed.

James looked stunned. "What?"

"James, I barely talked to you in the years we have shared at Hogwarts. Still, I know about you. You've always been the brightest and the most popular. You're even the best player on the quidditch team! And then, you started chasing me around all the time, always asking me out or pulling cruel pranks on Snape or somebody! You were always so confident and cocky! But you still got away with it!"

"I've changed Lily, I promise you that I've changed. I won't do anything like that ever again if you don't want me to."

"James, that's just it!" She said fiercely. "You can't change yourself completely for me. It's not fair! And I hate you for being the way you are because I love you for it!"

James was even more confused. He said, "I don't understand."

Lily sighed. "James, it's everything about you. I'm not blind, you know. I've seen your changes. You stopped being immature and cocky, and you stopped hexing Snape, but you're still the same person.

And now I see the better side of that person. I see the same humor and the same adventurous spirit in you. I see the honor and I see the loyalty. I see the love." James blushed and tried to say something, but Lily cut him off.

She continued, "But me? I'm nothing compared to you. Last night, when you talked so easily of the Caudatus Spell, it made my blood boil. You really found it to be one of the simplest spells that you have ever done. But I killed myself trying to get good at that. I have to work hard at everything you get so naturally. It's not fair!

And then you told me that you love me! And this time, I saw how much you meant it. Do you know what its like to have you, of all people at Hogwarts, say to I am one girl that you care about. All that time, I never let my guard down because you behaved like such a prat! Remember that day after our O.W.L.'s and I called you a bullying toe rag for being so arrogant. And then, I realized how sincere you were a few nights ago. It's so much to take in, you know. I feel so special now, instead of a victim.

One minute, I'm thinking that I'm letting my guard down and losing the battle; you win, you know. You've won me over. The next, I feel like that idea is ridiculous and I'm feeling so special because I've never in my life been cared about or taken care of by a guy like you. You did things for me last night that I didn't truly think that any male had the incentive to do. I feel happy and I…I…I well, I hate saying it, but I really think that I….love you. And I don't want to give in for that same reason, James. When I give in, I'll be nothing compared to you. Your talents surpass me too much. I don't want to be nothing. But I don't know how I feel, because I'm a perfectionist and I demand the best of myself.

And I just have conflicting feelings about this because my sensible side is saying not to rush things, but my heart says that it's perfectly fine to fall asleep beside you. These conflicts have a horrible tendency to come out when you're near me. I don't like spontaneity and losing control, and that's why I push you away. That's why I said such appalling and cruel things to you last night, things of which I am deeply ashamed.

It goes deeper than just you. All of my life, I've wanted to be perfect at everything. I've wanted balance and power and control. I get so scared when I lose control, especially when I'm around you. Because I would have never admitted it before, but you really are handsome and you really are that smart, and yes, in some ways, I'll finally admit that I do admire you. And there is no way that I can be good for you at all because I'll be far too envious or scared of sharing love with you. Even when you love me that much, I think it's a bad idea to risk me." She gasped for air because she had been talking so much. "I'm no good for you. But I still… "

James finished her sentence "love me." He was lost in thought and emotion.

Lily looked up feeling completely vulnerable. "I don't know."

"I think that you do…"

"Maybe I do, but –" Lily began to explain, but James had leaned in and covered her mouth with his; she closed her eyes and accepted. It was the first time that he had ever actually kissed her. It was a long, intense kiss. They both felt chills down their spines as it slowly heated and intensified. When they finally pulled away, they both gasped for air. Lily's heartbeat was racing a million times faster than usual, and she felt like she'd explode. What a kiss! She though to herself.

Solemnly, James said to Lily, "I'll never stop, no matter what. I'll love you even after I die, Lily Evans, and it's only you that I want – more than any other being on earth…even my friends."

Lily thought about all the apprehension that she felt. Was she being rash? Would everyone laugh at her for this? Would she really be that invisible if she were with James? Was it really worth it to be scared of love? No. She fought it, as she had been fighting it all night while she was crying in James' arms. She had made a decision. She replied, knowing that she had made the right one. "Then I'll just have to listen to my heart and tell you that I want to be your only one."

James finally smiled. He hugged her and gently kissed her neck. "Good." He said. "I forgive you."

"Me too."

"Brilliant." James said enamored with Lily's bright green eyes.

"Yeah." Lily said in a daze. They kissed yet again.

* * *

Twenty minutes later,they finally pulled away.

James had a serious expression on his face. "Wow, I never realized, but that robes looks awfully tight. Are you sure you're ok with it on?"

Lily giggled. "It is rather hot in here, yes. Maybe it should come off."

"Allow me."

"In your dreams, James Potter. Besides, I couldn't come to camp with out my jeans and Bay City Rollers shirt, and they are underneath anyway! I win!"

"Bad luck."

"That's a matter opinion."

"I'm going to sleep some more."

"I'm going to the showers."

"Actually, I was feeling a bit dirty myself. Don't mind if I join you."

"Nice try, James, but no."

"What are you still a prude?"

Lily's eyebrows rose. Two could play this game. "What? Are you still an arrogant little prat?"

James grinned widely, relieved that she could finally take a joke. "_For you, Evans_, _always_."


	11. Prologue

Author's Note: I don't own Harry Potter

* * *

**Chapter 11: The Prologue…An End But also a Beginning**

Needless to say, James Potter and Lily Evans spent the rest of their time at magic camp being closer. They weren't officially going out, but they were always seen together, whether it was playing exploding snap after the day's activities with Sirius, Remus, and Audrie or if they were alone (snogging). Always, always, always they were in each other's presence, as if they had been best friends since they were little. In truth, the two never had never really expected to find such a good friend (and more than just that, eventually) in each other.

The night when James fell asleep next to Lily was a turning point in their relationship. Audrie had not been in the cabin, because Sirius had suggested her to spend the night with another friend; Audrie complied. _They both knew that something was up with the Flower Child and the Marauder._ Their guesses turned out right.

Lily and James both showed each different views of life. While Lily had a certain knack for a having a short fuse, she showed James the kinder, more patient side to her personality. James, on the other hand, showed Lily the true meaning of loyalty, as he never let the close friendship between him and the other Marauders fade. Still, he would always care for Lily, even when she tried to be strong on her own. He somehow made her stronger.

James taught Lily that flying wasn't…that terrible. She eventually became used the sensation of being in the air, as James, the star quidditch player in Gryffindor, helped her fly with a broomstick. And Lily, still a muggle at heart in some ways, introduced James to the wonderful world of the Bay City Rollers. And the Beatles, the Doors, and many more muggles rock n' roll bands of the 1970's. James succeeded in convincing Lily to break at least a few rules and pull innocent pranks. Lily impressed on James the responsibility, more than ever, of some of his actions (which, in no way, shape, or form, prevented James from continuing his less dangerous jokes). Back and forth, the two learned many lessons that no magic or wizard school could teach them.

By the time that the two began their 7th year, they had received the title of Head Girl and Head Boy at Hogwarts! It was more of a surprise that James had received the title, but it was still promising, especially with Lily behind him, instead of being against him. In fact, Remus, who had been more than qualified to become Head Boy, was in no was envious and has supported James too. Many had expected Lily to become Head Girl, naturally, since she had worked so hard during all seven of her years at Hogwarts.

Thus began a legacy at Hogwarts, like no other. Even the teachers like Dumbledore regarded Lily and James as one couple – no, not even a couple. The two were more like a unity. Eventually, they made themselves officially a couple.

As for their friends, Lily had always been Remus's friend. But now, too, she became a sincere and caring friend of Sirius. The two were like brother and sister. Peter was another case, in which, he never really became as close with Lily, but he still remained close to her through James. Author's Note: I was going to say that Wormtail would be "loyal" to Lily – but I figured that he only did anything for her because he was afraid of what the other three Marauders did to him, had he not. Prat. Traitor. #!#! As for Audrie, she also became a good friend of the Marauder's. Lily was still her best friend, and Lily never let that be changed either, even when Audrie began a serious relationship with a Hufflepuff named George Fledging.

In a way, the large group of wizards and witches would forever be remembered as that large, happy "family" in Gryffindor at that time. No one would ever forget this.

As for Petunia Evans, her falling out with Lily occurred in the seventh year, when Lily had brought James home to Elm Park for Christmas. Of course, Annette and Donald absolutely loved James, as he behaved like a complete gentleman; they even enjoyed the few pranks that he played on them. He was the first boy that Lily had ever brought home with her, and in her case, it was even more special since he was a wizard. Lily's parents could see that the two were obviously in love, even though Lily and James couldn't appreciate the full magnitude of what the term "love" meant at the tender age of 17. They still cared for each other more than anything. However, no one would have expected them to be getting married or the birth of Harry at the point. No, their love would only grow more in the following years.

In the eyes of Petunia, this was the last straw. She had lost her sister and her former best friend to this James Potter. A large-scale argument (or epic battle) ensued between Lily and Petunia. Tears were shed, names were called, and irreversible insults were made. From then on, Petunia was hostile and degrading to Lily and James. Jealousy and disappointment consumed what had been an aching sisterly love for Lily, but there was nothing that either girl could have done to prevent it. After all, Lily had never asked to become a witch, nor did she know that she would end up being James' girlfriend.

James, surprisingly, remained respectful to Petunia until the day he died. Never did he raise his voice or retaliate the loathing that Petunia had for, especially, him. He loved Lily too much to make this any worse, and he wanted to do his best to bring them together.

By the time of their graduation, Lily and James were stronger than ever. They stepped off the Hogwarts Express, hand in hand, welcoming a life together. A promising life. A life of love, of fantastic careers, of spending the rest of their youth in splendor and happiness. There was no Voldemort then to scare them (or at least, they had not heard of him). All they did know was they had their families, their best friends, and their love.

_The End._

* * *

**I'd like to thank all of my friends who read this story, even though it might not be the best LJ out there – thanks for the support. I'd like to thank all the readers and the reviews, they were really supportive. Even when I was stuck in this relatively short pick, I couldn't disappoint you. And most of all, I'm glad you enjoyed it, but I think that this was the best time to end it. Hope you enjoyed, and sorry if you didn't. -Zee**


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